Shalom everyone and thank you for joining me in the study of Parashat Bamidbar, the first parashat in our new book. The Book of Numbers. That's the English name for Sefer Bamidbar, even though the Hebrew is obviously Bamidbar, it's about the desert, which means all the journeys of the Jewish people through the desert until they reach the Jordan River, and then from there you will have Sefer Dvarim and later on Sephar Yeshua. But today I don't want to speak so much about the journey or the flags, but rather about the importance of details. And what do I mean by that? The Torah began by saying the following. Then most specific location. Hashem spoke to Moshe in the Sinai Desert in the tenth of the meeting. So then we have the general location and then the specific location. And then we have the time on the first of the second month, which means the first day of Yar, that's the Hebrew month, the Hebrew second month. But Shanahashani, the second year, since they left Mitzraim. And obviously, the simple question is why do we need to know about all those details? I could write a very simple pastuk, Veda Bera Hashem and Moshe, and Hashem spoke to Moshe, Bamid Bar, or Be'oel Mohed, when on the second year. Do we care if it was on the first of the second month or if it was in the Sinai desert and then exactly in the 10th of meeting? Why do we need to have each detail? So let's see the Ramban. The Ramban Nahmanadis in the 13th century in Spain says the following Bemidbar sinai. Why does it say Bemid Barsinai? Ba'avu, because we have anything, so the Ramban says, wait, let's digress for a second. We can look at the Torah as five different books, or seven different books according to the Tant, because Sefer Bamidbar is divided to three. But there is also a way to look at that as one unit. And therefore, says the Ramban, let's go back to the second parsha from the end in Sefer Vaikra, Parashat Bihar. So we read Parashat Bihar Behukottai together, but Parashat Bihar is also a parasha. And Parashat Behar began with Behar Sinai, on the mountain of Sinai, which was in the desert. And the Torah in Parashat Behar described the laws, the mitzvot of Shemitah, the sabbatical year, and the Yoval, the Jubilee. And they were given on Har Sinai, which means Moshe went back to receive the second tablet. And then Hashem also told him about the sabbatical year and the jubilee year. So Moshe is still on Harsinai. Now we have Parashat Behar, and then Parashat Behar we have Bekhutai, that Hashem basically warned the Jewish people that you should follow my commandments, and if not, God forbid, many terrible things will happen. And now we are in Sephur Bamidbar. So says Ramban, Hazar ve amarkan, so he says, here we are telling you that Hashem spoke to Moshe where it was Bamidbar, not Bahar, which means it was not on the mountain where they received the Torah, but rather in the desert. And where in the desert God spoke to Moshe, Be'o'el Mohed, in the tent of meeting, where the tabernacle was, where the Mishkan was. Exactly like where Hashem spoke to Moshe in the entire Sephovaika, in the entire book of Leviticus. And from now on, every time that you see an Hashem spoke to Moshe, it was where in Oel Moed, in the tenth of meeting. So since then, since Parashat Behar, after that, every time Hashem had an encounter with Moshe, it was only in the tenth of meeting. So the Ramban, if we go back to the Pasok, the Ramban does not address the timeline, the first, the second month, in the second year. The Ramban's focus is on the beginning of the verse, which is it's in Midbar Sinai, but don't think that Hashem spoke to Moshe where on Harsinay. No. After the Mishkan was built, Hashem spoke to Moshe only through the tenth of meeting, which means, if you remember, in one of our Shi'urim, we spoke about the idea of the Mishkan, and we brought the Ramban's opinion that says that the Mishkan is a mini model of Harsinai, which means Hashem revealed himself in a very public way on Harsinai, gave us the Torah, but after that there was a mini revelation every day, constantly, where in the midst of the Jewish people, through the Mishkan, through the tabernacle, through the tent of meeting. So, in a way, when Hashem speaks to Moshe through the tent of meeting, it's like Moshe is in Halsinai. So therefore the Ramban had to clarify and claims that the verse clarifies that what? That Hal Sinai now transformed into the Mishkan, into the tabernacle, into the tent of meeting, and this is the place where all the encounters between Hashem and Moshe Rabinu took place. So that's how the Ramban explains the idea of the tent of meeting. Rabshem Rafal Hirosh has a bit of a different perspective. And he says the following. Because what are you going to do in the desert? What kind of territory are you going to conquer? Or what kind of an economical empire are you going to build in the desert? So why do we need to count them in the desert? says Rapshim Shon Hirsch. Says Rhapshim Shon Refalih, and I will go back to the verse so we can see it. Hashem spoke to Moshe, and he was about to tell him about the counting of the Jewish people, were in Midbar, in the Sinai Desert, which means the purpose, the goal, the aim, the outcome of that counting is not for an army, it's not for an economical power, but it's for what? It's bead. It's for the purpose of Torah. Meaning I am counting now the Jewish people for some kind of a goal that has something to do with the Torah. And what does that mean? So the Torah was given at Sinai, and the testimony that the Torah was re-given to Am Israel after the Golden Kelf, which means the second tablet, and the sign that the Torah was given to Israel, and the sign that the Jewish people were basically forgiven for what they did found itself being illustrated where and when? On the first month of Nisan, which was what? The dedication of the tabernacle. So when the Mishkan was erected, when the Mishkan was established and built, that was a sign God forgave the Jewish people for what they did with the golden calf. Let's go back to the verse. It says, Hashem spoke to Moshe, telling him about counting the Jewish people where? In the Sinite Desert. Why are we counting for Oel Moed, for the Torah that is in the tent of meeting? Why in the second month? Because in the first month, which is Chodeshni San, when the temple, when the tabernacle, when the Mishkan was erected and established, that was a sign God forgave us for the golden calf. A. B. We're not talking only about forgiveness. We are also talking about recommitting ourselves to the Torah and its laws. Therefore, says Rapshim Shon al Fa'Lish, that explains the second half of the Pasuk, which is B'echad lachodesh on the first day of the second month, which is Ial, Bashana Hani, the second year, when since we left Egypt. So according to Rashal Hyosh, we really have in this Pasuk, and this is why we have every detail here, is to tell us two main things. One, the purpose of the counting, the purpose of the counting is not for military aspects, not for building an economical powerhouse, but rather to gather us together around the Mishkan, which means around the Torah. When this obligation commitment took place, second month, the first day of the second month, on the second year since we left Egypt. So you see that according to Rabshim Shona Falhirsh, there is a tremendous significance in every detail in this verse. So the Ramban emphasized the emphasized on the first part of the verse, where Rabshim Shan al-Fal Hirsch basically looked at the entire Pasuk and learned a new thing from every detail that is mentioned here. In the Mikilta of Rabshimon Baruchai, which is a Midrashthanaim, we also try to understand each detail in that verse. And it says the following. It's come to teach us. That the Jewish people would count everything that they do. To what? To Exodus. To Yetziat Mitzraim. Why? Because the verse starts with Bachodeshashlishi Letzed Bne Israel Me Eret Mitzraim on the third month when the Jewish people left Egypt. So third month to Exodus says the Michilta. The Jewish people counted their schedule, their calendar based on the Khodashim, the month that they left Egypt. Which means, in just more of a concrete definition, the central part of their religious life and their national life was what? In reference to Exodus. That's how the midrashs begin begin. So the verse mentions month, chodesh. But how do we know that we also count years to Exodus? Ah. So the midrash brings our pasuk. Where it says Bachodesh Hashani, that's the month. So that's part of counting months to Exodus. Now we're also counting years to Exodus. Ain't the Ela beo to aperech. So the Michilta says, okay, I understand. You know, the first year, two years, three years, everyone is excited. So everyone remembers Exodus. But how do we know that you the Jewish people continue to count to Exodus even after a few years later, if they are even after 20 years later, 30 years later, or 40 years later? So the Mikita says, Oh, I have another verse. It says, when Aaron was called to basically to leave this world and to die, he was he went up on the mountain, and it says, Hashem told him, and he died there, Bishnat Bne Israel me erat mitraim, bachodesh hachamishibbe khada chodesh. Here we found a verse that mentions two things. One, 40 years since we left Egypt, and also on the fifth month of the 40th year since we left Egypt. So what do we have here? That even after 40 years after we left Egypt, still this moment of leaving Egypt shaped our mindfulness and awareness of who we are. Even 40 years later, we're still counting months and years since we left Egypt. So that was like a starting point that basically motivated and engineered our entire thinking. Okay. So Dimitrash continues to ask the question. He says, okay, I understand. Exodus was a central part of the Jewish national life, religious life. That was probably until they entered the land of Israel. But after they enter the land of Israel, they probably start counting for something else. So Demeter says, no, that's not true. Why? Because it says, says no. The Jewish people continue to count for Exodus until they built the Bet Amygdash, the first Bet Migdash that was built by King Solomon, as it says in Kings A chapter 6, that they built the Bet Amygdash 400 in eight years after they left Egypt. Wow, so if we will stop here and I would ask, okay, a trivia question: what is the moment that shaped the Jewish people's mindset and awareness and calendar and schedule and life? Everyone should say, obviously, Exodus. Okay. But the midrash does not stop here. The midrash continues. Kevanch and Ivnahamidash. So now when the Beta Middash was built, Ithilum Monim Leshnem Elachim Velebinyan Batim. So after the Beta Middash was built, there was a transformation transformational change. No more counting for Exodus, but rather counting for the years of the kings and the years of the Beth amygdash. As it says, and it was at the end of the 20th years. 20th year, that King Solomon built the house. So you count for King Solomon and you count for the house, for the Bet Amigdash. And it was in the 40th year to King Hizkial. So now we have a change. From counting to Yitziat Mitzraim for 408 years, after King Solomon builds the Beta Mi'kdash, that stops, and now we have a new counting. So then the Mitras says So then the Mitras says they didn't have the merit to continue on to count for the Beth Middash. Why? Because it was destroyed. So they start counting for its destruction, as it says, and to their exile, in the 25th year to our exile. So now, after that, they were not able, they didn't have the merit to count for themselves, they start counting for non-Jewish kings. It was on the second year to Nevuchadnetzar, it was in the second year to Daryavish. So the midrash sees like measure against measure because you didn't serve God properly, you will start being enslaved to your enemies. What's going on in this midrash? What went wrong? What is so problematic in changing the counting from Exodus to the Beta Migdash and to the years of the kings? I would like to suggest the following idea in this midrash. This is Midrash Tanaim. And it was composed probably around the first or the second century. After the destruction of the Beta Midas, the second Beth Migdash was destroyed at 70 CE. And there is, I think, a very interesting idea here. When the Jewish people counted for Exodus, they counted for what? Their religious center, their religious magnet was what? Exodus. Exodus stood for what? God's wonders, miracles, his ability to control the world, his ability to change the nature. And it's the Jewish ability to have such tremendous faith in God. Also, Exodus basically gave the entire universe the idea of freedom. That it's against freedom and it's against the divine gift to take someone else's freedom and to make him a slave. And it was a time that God basically took this bunch of slaves and made them his nation. This is what it means, Exodus. And Exodus is something that it's sublime, it's not concrete, it's not like a building. It's an idea. It's a concept. So for 480 years, the Jewish people are accounting for this idea. They are accounting for this concept, for this sublime idea that people are free and you need to serve God, and you build a nation. And then King Solomon comes along and builds a building. He knows that God cannot be contained in a building. He says it by himself in Kings, in Kings 8, chapter 8. He acknowledged the fact that the building will not contain God. But it's a place for God. And then there is a change. The Jewish people stopped believing in a concept, in an idea. They start believing in a concrete building. To the extent the Midrash does not bring it, but the prophets rebuke and chastise the Jewish people as saying, hey, they basically throw everything on the building and they themselves do whatever they want. This is not what we believe in. The counting, the change in the counting basically illustrates and testifies on a change of paradigm. No more believing in freedom, in this divine gift, in the idea that God changed the nature. Start believing in a concrete building and kings. And that's the beginning of our demise. Says the Midrash, when that change happened, not that the Midrash is against building the Beta Middash, the temple. It's not that the Midrash is against the kings. But the Midrash is against the idea of throwing and abandoning the concept of Exodus and focusing only on Beta Miqdash. Focusing only on concrete bricks and stones. Thinking that the only time that you need to be nice and good and religious is only when you are in the temple. But when you are not at the temple, you can do whatever you want. Think about it how many times in our mitzvot in the Torah. The Torah says, Don't forget that I took you out from Itzheim and therefore love the convert. Therefore keep Shabbat, therefore keep the holidays, therefore don't forget the needy, the poor, the widow, the orphan. If you lose sight of it and you just focus on the beta migdash and the korbanot and the kohanim, you lose sight of the true meaning of our religion. And this is what the midrash is trying to tell us. You can add to Exodus, but don't ignore it, don't abandon it. And based on that, I think that the Midrash understands this Pasok in the following way. So we are talking about what? We are talking about building this tabernacle. There is a tenth of meeting. This is the second month after we build this tabernacle. This is the second year after we went out from where. Wonderful for you. I'm happy. You did exactly what I asked you to do. Now there is a tent of meeting. I'm going to speak to Moshe towards through this tent of meeting. Wonderful. And all of that is exciting. It's a sign that I forgave you for the golden calf. Wonderful. But don't lose sight from your starting point, which is letsetam me eretz mitzraim. Never lose sight where you came from and what it means to you. I think that there is an incredible insight in this midrash. Because this midrash is basically telling you you come to the land of Israel, you develop this country, you build a beta Middash, you have kings, you think that that's it. You have concrete ideas in your hands, but you can't lose sight of Exodus. This is the bedrock, this is the pillars that we stand on as a nation. If you want to have a healthy, ethical, moral society, compassionate society, you must remember Exodus, and then you can build whatever you want. That's this mechilta. The Svatemet has a more Hasidish perspective, and he says the following. So he says the following. Hashem says to Am Israel, you are my witnesses, and I am your God. Which means through our actions, through what we do, we testify on God's existence in this universe. We in a way are the Shlikim, the emissaries of God. Which means, if we, God forbid, cease to perform our mission and to be God's witnesses, so to speak, God does not exist here. This is a powerful statement. That in a way God needs us, so to speak, so he will be known in this world. God is always be there. But in order to be known to everyone else, he needs us to carry on this mission. And if you look at the Talmud in Sanhedrin and in Makot and in many other places in the Shats, you see that how do they check if the witnesses say the truth? You examine them. You examine them in different ways. And some of the questions are, for example, if two witnesses come along and say, okay, Ruben gave $1,000 to Shimon, or God forbid Ruben killed Shimon, what do we ask them? Where? When? How? Because in order to accept you as a witness, I need to know that you are saying the truth as much as you know, as much as you remember. So I will examine you. I'll test you, I'll ask you questions, I'll ask you exactly where exactly was the place that Ruben killed Shimon? Was it in the afternoon, in the morning, at noon? Who else was there? What else was there? It needs to be clear. Meaning every place, every location on this universe needs to go through some kind of a process of clarification by the Jewish people in order to make it clear so everyone can see God. He says if you look at the week and Shabbat, that's exactly the idea of what the Am Israel, the Jewish people, needs to do. The Shabbat sa aduta ikri, because Shabbat is called a day of testimony. Shabbat is a day that we testify on what? That God is the creator and God took us out from Egypt. And how do we do it? By walking six days, doing things, and then on the seventh day we cease to walk, and the world continues on. So we testify by us not walking that God is the creator. This is amazing. Therefore, everything we do in the Torah, everything that the Torah documents, everything has a time and a date. A time and a location. Because we need to fix both. We, Am Israel, has a tremendous mission on our shoulders. We need to fix all the locations, all the places that need to be fixed, and we need to fix the time. We need to fix this realm of time to make people understand that time is not only the today. The time has three components to it: the past, the present, and the future, and they are all intertwined to one. The past affects the present, the present is being affected by the past and will affect the future that is not here yet. And the future can change the past. This is the idea of chuva, of repentance. That you can go back in time, so to speak, and fix it. Hashem spoke to Moshe, tell the Jewish people, you have a task. It all comes together. We sanctify Makom, we have a land that is holy, we have Yahushalim, we have Bate Knesset, we have Shul, we have Bate Midrash, study hall. So we sanctify the place and we sanctify time. Shabbat, Yomtov, every day. And then we also sanctify life. And what is life? Place and time. So the first verse of Seph al-Bamidbao of this parasha teaches us according to the Swatemet a tremendous lesson about our mission in life to sanctify time and place. The Mekhilta taught us that we should never lose sight of Yetziyat Mitzaim because this gives us really our moral compass. And with that, we now understand the significance of the little details. Thank you.